Incident details
Operator, cause, commodity and consequences with raw source fields.
GD incident on 2013-09-01 — MI
Operator
Consumers Energy Co
Cause
Pipe, Weld, Or Joint Failure
Commodity
Natural Gas
Program
GD
Damage and Injuries
0 fatalities
0 injuries
Property damage (nominal)
$21,783
Incident datetime
2013-09-01 09:29
Report number
Location
MI, GLADWIN
Narrative
A failure occurred on 6" plastic distribution gas main in the city of gladwin, michigan, resulting in a leak that required evacuation of several surrounding structures. As part of the incident response, a gas service worker checked the home across the street from the failure point, and performed additional bar tests within the soil near the failure. None of these tests found any gas migration. All the gas was venting to atmosphere directly above the point of failure. The point of failure on the main was under a county drain ditch, approximately 20' below the road grade and under 14' of soil. The main was capped on each side of the failure upon shutoff. The failure point was later extracted and analyzed, revealing a failed butt fuse joint. Inadequate fuse bead rollover was observed on one side of the fuse, indicating possible incomplete facing prior to utilizing the hydraulic butt fuse machine. The non-fused zone was characterized by a generally smooth flat surface appearance, as well as parallel cut marks which likely indicate that the surface had not been heated to the melting point during the joint fusion operation. Initial estimates indicated that more than 3 mmcf of gas may have been released during the leak, but revised findings (based on observations of the failed fuse; see attached), indicate a gas release of less than 1 mmcf. A supplemental PHMSA incident report is being submitted herewith to reflect this, and also reflect the costs incurred during replacement and investigation of the failed main.
Detailed record list
Occurred At
2013-09-01 09:29:00
Year
2013
Report Received Date
2013-09-30 00:00:00
Iyear
2013.0
Report Number
20130107.0
Supplemental Number
16142.0
Report Type
Supplemental Final
Operator Id
2748
Name
Consumers Energy Co
Operator Street Address
One Energy Plaza
Operator City Name
Jackson
Operator State Abbreviation
MI
Operator Postal Code
49201
Local Datetime
2013-09-01 09:29:00
Location Street Address
529 E. 1st Street
Location City Name
Gladwin
Location County Name
Gladwin
Location State Abbreviation
MI
Location Postal Code
48624-2208
Location Latitude
43.9874
Location Longitude
-84.48115
Nrc Rpt Datetime
2013-09-01 13:04:00
Nrc Rpt Num
1058900
Commodity Released Type
Natural Gas
Unintentional Release
705.6
Fatality Ind
No
Fatal
0
Injury Ind
No
Injure
0
Ignite Ind
No
Explode Ind
No
Num Pub Evacuated
400.0
Incident Identified Datetime
2013-09-01 09:29:00
On Site Datetime
2013-09-01 10:16:00
Federal
No
Location Type
Public Property
Incident Area Type
Underground
Incident Area Subtype
Under Soil
Depth Of Cover
168.0
Crossing
No
Pipe Facility Type
Privately Owned
System Part Involved
Main
Installation Year
2013.0
Pipe Diameter
6.0
Pipe Specification
Astm D2513
Pipe Manufacturer
Performance Pipe Driscoplex
Material Involved
Plastic
Plastic Type
Polyethylene (Pe)
Wt Plastic
0.602
Material Pe Pipe Code
2708
Release Type
Leak
Leak Type
Connection Failure
Leak Type Other
Unknown Failure Mode.
Class Location Type
Class 3 Location
Est Cost Oper Paid
0.0
Est Cost Prop Damage
21783.0
Est Cost Emergency
626.0
Est Cost Other
69458.0
Est Cost Other Details
Lab Services Investigation & Camera Work By Dependable Sewer
Est Cost Unintentional Release
6414.0
Prpty
98281.0
Commercial Affected
0.0
Industrial Affected
0.0
Residences Affected
0.0
Accident Psig
55.0
Normal Psig
55.0
Mop Psig
60.0
Accident Pressure
Pressure Did Not Exceed Maop
Scada In Place Ind
No
Accident Identifier
Notification From Emergency Responder
Investigation Status
No, the facility was not monitored by a controller(s) at the time of the incident
Employee Drug Test Ind
No
Contractor Drug Test Ind
No
Cause
Pipe, Weld, Or Joint Failure
Cause Details
Fusion Joint
Pwjf Failure Type
Fusion Joint
Plastic Joint Subtype
Butt, Heat Fusion
Fpw Installed Year
2013
Fpw Other Attr
Lack Of Proper Fuse Bead On One Side, Likely Due To Incomplete Facing
Fpw First Plastic Type
Polyethylene (Pe)
Fpw Second Plastic Type
Polyethylene (Pe)
Additional Lack Fusion Ind
Yes
Result Construction Ind
Yes
Result Construction Subtype
Poor Workmanship
Hydrotest Conducted Ind
No
Preparer Name
A*** M* C*********
Preparer Title
Gas Regulatory Services Engineer
Preparer Email
A**************@c********.com
Preparer Telephone
989-791-5841
Authorizer Name
T**** A* G****
Authorizer Title
Manager Of Regulatory And Compliance
Authorizer Telephone
517-768-3187
Authorizer Email
T**********@c*********.om
Narrative
A failure occurred on 6" plastic distribution gas main in the city of gladwin, michigan, resulting in a leak that required evacuation of several surrounding structures. As part of the incident response, a gas service worker checked the home across the street from the failure point, and performed additional bar tests within the soil near the failure. None of these tests found any gas migration. All the gas was venting to atmosphere directly above the point of failure. The point of failure on the main was under a county drain ditch, approximately 20' below the road grade and under 14' of soil. The main was capped on each side of the failure upon shutoff. The failure point was later extracted and analyzed, revealing a failed butt fuse joint. Inadequate fuse bead rollover was observed on one side of the fuse, indicating possible incomplete facing prior to utilizing the hydraulic butt fuse machine. The non-fused zone was characterized by a generally smooth flat surface appearance, as well as parallel cut marks which likely indicate that the surface had not been heated to the melting point during the joint fusion operation. Initial estimates indicated that more than 3 mmcf of gas may have been released during the leak, but revised findings (based on observations of the failed fuse; see attached), indicate a gas release of less than 1 mmcf. A supplemental PHMSA incident report is being submitted herewith to reflect this, and also reflect the costs incurred during replacement and investigation of the failed main.
| Occurred At | 2013-09-01 09:29:00 |
|---|---|
| Year | 2013 |
| Report Received Date | 2013-09-30 00:00:00 |
| Iyear | 2013.0 |
| Report Number | 20130107.0 |
| Supplemental Number | 16142.0 |
| Report Type | Supplemental Final |
| Operator Id | 2748 PHMSA Enforcement |
| Name | Consumers Energy Co |
| Operator Street Address | One Energy Plaza |
| Operator City Name | Jackson |
| Operator State Abbreviation | MI |
| Operator Postal Code | 49201 |
| Local Datetime | 2013-09-01 09:29:00 |
| Location Street Address | 529 E. 1st Street |
| Location City Name | Gladwin |
| Location County Name | Gladwin |
| Location State Abbreviation | MI |
| Location Postal Code | 48624-2208 |
| Location Latitude | 43.9874 Google Maps OpenStreetMap |
| Location Longitude | -84.48115 Google Maps OpenStreetMap |
| Nrc Rpt Datetime | 2013-09-01 13:04:00 |
| Nrc Rpt Num | 1058900 NRC Report How to search |
| Commodity Released Type | Natural Gas |
| Unintentional Release | 705.6 |
| Fatality Ind | No |
| Fatal | 0 |
| Injury Ind | No |
| Injure | 0 |
| Ignite Ind | No |
| Explode Ind | No |
| Num Pub Evacuated | 400.0 |
| Incident Identified Datetime | 2013-09-01 09:29:00 |
| On Site Datetime | 2013-09-01 10:16:00 |
| Federal | No |
| Location Type | Public Property |
| Incident Area Type | Underground |
| Incident Area Subtype | Under Soil |
| Depth Of Cover | 168.0 |
| Crossing | No |
| Pipe Facility Type | Privately Owned |
| System Part Involved | Main |
| Installation Year | 2013.0 |
| Pipe Diameter | 6.0 |
| Pipe Specification | Astm D2513 |
| Pipe Manufacturer | Performance Pipe Driscoplex |
| Material Involved | Plastic |
| Plastic Type | Polyethylene (Pe) |
| Wt Plastic | 0.602 |
| Material Pe Pipe Code | 2708 |
| Release Type | Leak |
| Leak Type | Connection Failure |
| Leak Type Other | Unknown Failure Mode. |
| Class Location Type | Class 3 Location |
| Est Cost Oper Paid | 0.0 |
| Est Cost Prop Damage | 21783.0 |
| Est Cost Emergency | 626.0 |
| Est Cost Other | 69458.0 |
| Est Cost Other Details | Lab Services Investigation & Camera Work By Dependable Sewer |
| Est Cost Unintentional Release | 6414.0 |
| Prpty | 98281.0 |
| Commercial Affected | 0.0 |
| Industrial Affected | 0.0 |
| Residences Affected | 0.0 |
| Accident Psig | 55.0 |
| Normal Psig | 55.0 |
| Mop Psig | 60.0 |
| Accident Pressure | Pressure Did Not Exceed Maop |
| Scada In Place Ind | No |
| Accident Identifier | Notification From Emergency Responder |
| Investigation Status | No, the facility was not monitored by a controller(s) at the time of the incident |
| Employee Drug Test Ind | No |
| Contractor Drug Test Ind | No |
| Cause | Pipe, Weld, Or Joint Failure |
| Cause Details | Fusion Joint |
| Pwjf Failure Type | Fusion Joint |
| Plastic Joint Subtype | Butt, Heat Fusion |
| Fpw Installed Year | 2013 |
| Fpw Other Attr | Lack Of Proper Fuse Bead On One Side, Likely Due To Incomplete Facing |
| Fpw First Plastic Type | Polyethylene (Pe) |
| Fpw Second Plastic Type | Polyethylene (Pe) |
| Additional Lack Fusion Ind | Yes |
| Result Construction Ind | Yes |
| Result Construction Subtype | Poor Workmanship |
| Hydrotest Conducted Ind | No |
| Preparer Name | A*** M* C********* |
| Preparer Title | Gas Regulatory Services Engineer |
| Preparer Email | A**************@c********.com |
| Preparer Telephone | 989-791-5841 |
| Authorizer Name | T**** A* G**** |
| Authorizer Title | Manager Of Regulatory And Compliance |
| Authorizer Telephone | 517-768-3187 |
| Authorizer Email | T**********@c*********.om |
| Narrative | A failure occurred on 6" plastic distribution gas main in the city of gladwin, michigan, resulting in a leak that required evacuation of several surrounding structures. As part of the incident response, a gas service worker checked the home across the street from the failure point, and performed additional bar tests within the soil near the failure. None of these tests found any gas migration. All the gas was venting to atmosphere directly above the point of failure. The point of failure on the main was under a county drain ditch, approximately 20' below the road grade and under 14' of soil. The main was capped on each side of the failure upon shutoff. The failure point was later extracted and analyzed, revealing a failed butt fuse joint. Inadequate fuse bead rollover was observed on one side of the fuse, indicating possible incomplete facing prior to utilizing the hydraulic butt fuse machine. The non-fused zone was characterized by a generally smooth flat surface appearance, as well as parallel cut marks which likely indicate that the surface had not been heated to the melting point during the joint fusion operation. Initial estimates indicated that more than 3 mmcf of gas may have been released during the leak, but revised findings (based on observations of the failed fuse; see attached), indicate a gas release of less than 1 mmcf. A supplemental PHMSA incident report is being submitted herewith to reflect this, and also reflect the costs incurred during replacement and investigation of the failed main. |
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